In the Middle East region, Lebanon can be considered as one of the more renowned holiday destinations among the tourist. It feels incomplete to talk about Lebanon without mentioning its capital, Beirut, which is considered as “the Paris of the Middle East”. Being among the oldest cities in the world with rich culture and history, Beirut has attracted so many visitors from both the Arab world and the West.

Best time to fly from Cebu to Beirut

Generally, the climate in Beirut can be said to be Mediterranean all year-round with the average temperature between 14 and 27.8 degree Celsius, with mild days and nights. The peak time to visit Beirut is usually around July to September when the weather is great for going out, therefore expect prices to rise around this time. The off-peak season to visit Beirut is usually around November during the end of the fall season. During this month, it will be less comfortable to go out and explore Beirut for the beauty that it is. It is advisable for visitors to check the weather reports before going to this town. The good thing is, during this month, flight and hotel prices will drop like crazy.

Main airports available in Cebu and Beirut

Mactan–Cebu International Airport – The Mactan–Cebu International Airport is an international airport that connects the city of Cebu with the outside world. The airport is located in Lapu-Lapu City on Mactan Island, a part of Metro Cebu. It is the second busiest international airport in the Philippines. The airlines that operate in this airport is AirAsia Philippines, Cebgo, Cebu Pacific, PAL Express, and Philippine Airlines. This airport consists of two different terminals. The Mactan–Cebu International Airport has many interesting shops and eateries within the airport so you can shop or dine in while waiting for the plane to arrive or depart. To go in and out of the airport is easy because there are many types of transportation available in The Mactan–Cebu International Airport for the visitors.

Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport – Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport is the leading international airport that serves the city and acts as the primary gateway into Lebanon and the Port of Beirut in general. Located about 9 kilometres south of Beirut city centre, the traffic in this airport is pretty high, given that the airport is pretty much the sole operational commercial airport in Lebanon. The airlines that mainly operate in this airport are Middle East Airlines and Wings of Lebanon while it also caters to a variety of other international airlines, including Qatar Airways, Emirates, Turkish Airlines and Etihad. It has a singular terminal with East and West Wings that have gates 1 to 12 and 13 to 23 respectively. Other facilities include duty-free shops, restaurant, lounges, bank, post office, prayer rooms and tourist information centre. Access to the city is relatively easy despite the lack of public transportation that connects the airport and the city. Therefore you will have to depend on taxis to get to and from town.

Climate pattern in Cebu and Beirut

Beirut, just like the nearby areas within the region, is always under the hot sun for most of the time. The town is said to have a hot-summer Mediterranean climate according to the Köppen climate classification which is characterized by the much milder days and nights. In contrast, its temperature is regulated by the sea breeze due to Beirut's location near the coast. The average temperature is usually about 20.9 degree Celsius and could reach an average high of 30.7 degree Celsius as well as an average low of 11.0 degree Celsius. The precipitation is about 730 to 825 millimetres annually with the months of winter, autumn and spring having the highest occurrence of rain. If you plan to visit Beirut, do take into account the climate pattern mentioned above and make sure you book your flight and hotel early during the peak season as both will undoubtedly fill up quickly.

Highlights attractions in Beirut

• Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque – Also known as the Blue Mosque, the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque is among the many mosques with magnificent architecture that can be found in Beirut and is undoubtedly worth a visit, considering that it is the main feature of the Beirut city centre skyline. Inaugurated in 2008, the Mohammad Al-Amin Mosque is open to replace the much older zawiya or prayer corner that was built on the site since the 19th century. Incorporating Ottoman’s monumental elements in its architecture, the mosque has a 48-meter high dome and 65 meter high minarets that can be found in the built area of 11,000 square meters.
• Martyrs' Square, Beirut – Beirut is lucky to have many historical areas that make up its downtown area, and Martyr's Square is one of them that is interesting to come over. It was built since 1773. The square was initially known as Sahat al-Burj before being renamed to its present name in 1931 to dedicate to martyrs that were executed during the reign of the Ottoman empire. Today the square is modernized with gardens and fountains and kiosks decorating the square, making it a merrier place to be in Beirut.
• National Museum of Beirut – As a country with a rich history, Beirut boasts many museums that are great to visit to understand this city from a historical perspective. Established since 1937, the National Museum of Beirut has been opened to the public since 1942, with collections of artefacts dating from the prehistoric times up to the medieval Mamluk period. It has about 100,000 objects with 1,300 of them being placed for the exhibition. It is widely regarded as the principal archaeology museum in town with a massive keep of Phoenician heritage.